Figure 1 shows a block diagram representing our current conceptualization of the relationship

between immersion, presence, and performance. We refer to this model as the Immersion,

Presence, Performance (IPP) model of interaction in virtual environments. The first two

components of the model describe the physical characteristics of the virtual environment system

itself. The first component represents various types of display technology, also known as "enabling

technology," used to produce virtual environments. This enabling technology leads to the second

component of the model, Slater's concept of immersion. As noted, this represents quantifiable

features of the display technology, such as the resolution of the visual display, or the degrees of

freedom associated with an input device or position sensor. The physical characteristics of the

system contribute to the third component of the model, the box labeled "sensory fidelity." This

component represents the impact of immersion (i.e., features of display technology) on the fidelityof the sensory information displayed to the participant in the virtual environment. More specifically,

sensory fidelity is the degree to which the display and transformation of spatial, auditory, and

haptic information in a virtual environment is similar to the display and transformation of sensory

information in the real world. For example, a display with head tracking will be more immersive

than a nonhead-tracked display, and will result in a higher level of sensory fidelity because motion

parallax is supported.

8/6/2019 A Conceptual Model of the Sense of Presence in Virtual Environments